Nach Jahren der Entwicklung ist es fast so weit. Im dritten Quartal 2022 soll die Ethereum Blockchain von Proof of Work (PoW) auf Proof of Stake (PoS) umgestellt werden.
Erst letztes Wochenende haben die Entwicklerteams PoS mit einer Shadow Fork auf dem ETH Mainnet getestet. Der Test war erfolgreich und für die Ether Community war das ein weiterer wichtiger Meilenstein.
Sobald das offizielle Datum für den Wechsel von Ether zu Proof-of-Stake (The Merge) bekannt ist, ist es wahrscheinlich, dass in der nächsten Zeit alle Augen auf ETH gerichtet sind. Fundamental verändert sich dadurch nämlich einiges. Im Folgenden schauen wir uns deshalb an, warum davon auszugehen ist, dass “The Merge” bullish für Ether ist.
1. Ethereum wird umweltfreundlich
Der Energieverbrauch von Ethereum ist in den letzten Jahren extrem gewachsen.
Mittlerweile kommt ETH auf einen Energieverbrauch von über 110 TWh pro Jahr. Das ETH-Netzwerk verbraucht damit so viel Energie im Jahr, wie die gesamten Niederlande, um sein Netzwerk zu sichern.
Darüber hinaus zeigen Daten von Digiconomist, dass eine einzige Ethereum-Transaktion 269.07 kWh kostet. Das entspricht dem Neun-Tage-Energieverbrauch eines gesamten US-Haushalts.
Mit dem Übergang zu Proof of Stake sinkt der Energieverbrauch des ETH-Netzwerks auf nahezu Null. Ethereum-Entwickler Carl Beekhuizen zufolge fällt der Energieverbrauch durch die Umstellung um 99,95 Prozent.
Das stellt einen gigantischen Gewinn für das Image von Ethereum im Mainstream dar. Beispielsweise sind Behauptungen, dass Non-fungible Token (NFTs) und Decentralized Finance (DeFi) die Umwelt zerstören, dank PoS nicht mehr haltbar. Zudem führt die Beseitigung von Umweltbedenken bei einer Investition in ETH dazu, dass insbesondere Großanleger, die beispielsweise ESG-Mandate einhalten müssen, erneut bedenkenlos in Ether investieren dürfen.
Mit Proof of Stake erhält Ethereum daher eine Art ESG-Gütesiegel, sodass neuem Kapital von Großanlegern Tür und Tor geöffnet sind.
2. Profitabilität von Ethereum Staking steigt
Durch “The Merge” werden Transaktionsgebühren nicht mehr von Minern und ihrer Hardware, sondern von Proof-of-Stake-Validatoren bestätigt. Das hat zur Folge, dass jegliche Einnahmen, die Miner bislang erzielt haben, nicht mehr an sie, sondern an Ethereum Staker fließen.
Laut Coinbase verdoppelt sich die Profitabilität von ETH Staking dadurch von derzeit 4 Prozent auf 9 bis 12 Prozent. Die fundamentalen Auswirkungen dieser Veränderung sind recht simpel.
Bislang hatten Miner wiederkehrende Energiekosten, die sie für den Betrieb ihrer Hardware benötigten. Um diese Energiekosten zu decken, mussten sie ihre ETH-Mining-Belohnungen verkaufen. Durch PoS ist dieser Verkaufsdruck wesentlich geringer, da die Kosten für den Betrieb eines Ethereum-Validators minimal sind.
In einer Welt, in der es kaum noch Zinsen gibt, dürfte Ethereum durchaus für viele eine attraktive Alternative darstellen, die Anleger nicht länger ignorieren können. Aus diesen Gründen scheint es deshalb wahrscheinlich, dass die Nachfrage nach Ethereum nach dem erfolgreichen Wechsel zu PoS kontinuierlich steigt.
3. Niedrigere Inflation als Bitcoin
Ein weitere Auswirkung der Umstellung von Ethereum auf PoS ist die starke Reduzierung neu ausgeschütteter Ether. Ethereums Übergang zu PoS lässt nämlich nicht nur die Mining-Belohnungen für Miner verschwinden, sondern ermöglicht es dem Netzwerk, seine Inflationsrate aufgrund der Sicherheitseffizienz des neuen Konsensalgorithmus erheblich zu reduzieren.
Einfach ausgedrückt heißt das, dass das Ethereum-Netzwerk nicht annähernd so viel ETH ausgeben muss, um das Netzwerk mit PoS zu sichern.
Infolgedessen wirkt sich die Umstellung von PoW zu PoS auf die Inflationsrate von ETH ähnlich aus wie ein dreifaches Bitcoin Halving – die Inflationsrate von ETH sinkt um 90 Prozent.
Dieser Umstand, kombiniert mit profitablerem Staking und dem im Jahr 2021 eingeführten EIP-1559-Upgrade, führt dazu, dass Ethereum ein deflationärer Vermögenswert wird. Auf ultrasound.money lässt sich dieses Szenario bereits simulieren.
Durch das EIP-1559 werden derzeit pro Jahr Ether im Wert von rund 9,4 Milliarden US-Dollar (3,1 Mio ETH) aus der maximalen Umlaufmenge an Ethereum genommen. Durch den Wechsel zu PoS kommen noch weniger neue Ether auf den Markt. Insgesamt dürfte die PoS-Umstellung dazu führen, dass Ethereum ab dem dritten Quartal 2022 mit -2,1 Prozent deflationär ist.
Vermehre deine Kryptowährungen mit Staking
Nutzer von eToro können ganz einfach von ihrem Kryptobestand profitieren. Mit dem eigenen Staking-Service können Nutzer auf einfache, sichere und problemlose Weise ihren Bestand an Kryptowerten vergrößern.
We want to thank the writer of this write-up for this amazing web content
Größtes Upgrade der Krypto-Geschichte: Warum die Umstellung von Ethereum auf Proof-of-Stake bullish ist
Nach Jahren der Entwicklung ist es fast so weit. Im dritten Quartal 2022 soll die Ethereum Blockchain von Proof of Work (PoW) auf Proof of Stake (PoS) umgestellt werden.
Erst letztes Wochenende haben die Entwicklerteams PoS mit einer Shadow Fork auf dem ETH Mainnet getestet. Der Test war erfolgreich und für die Ether Community war das ein weiterer wichtiger Meilenstein.
Sobald das offizielle Datum für den Wechsel von Ether zu Proof-of-Stake (The Merge) bekannt ist, ist es wahrscheinlich, dass in der nächsten Zeit alle Augen auf ETH gerichtet sind. Fundamental verändert sich dadurch nämlich einiges. Im Folgenden schauen wir uns deshalb an, warum davon auszugehen ist, dass “The Merge” bullish für Ether ist.
1. Ethereum wird umweltfreundlich
Der Energieverbrauch von Ethereum ist in den letzten Jahren extrem gewachsen.
Mittlerweile kommt ETH auf einen Energieverbrauch von über 110 TWh pro Jahr. Das ETH-Netzwerk verbraucht damit so viel Energie im Jahr, wie die gesamten Niederlande, um sein Netzwerk zu sichern.
Darüber hinaus zeigen Daten von Digiconomist, dass eine einzige Ethereum-Transaktion 269.07 kWh kostet. Das entspricht dem Neun-Tage-Energieverbrauch eines gesamten US-Haushalts.
Mit dem Übergang zu Proof of Stake sinkt der Energieverbrauch des ETH-Netzwerks auf nahezu Null. Ethereum-Entwickler Carl Beekhuizen zufolge fällt der Energieverbrauch durch die Umstellung um 99,95 Prozent.
Das stellt einen gigantischen Gewinn für das Image von Ethereum im Mainstream dar. Beispielsweise sind Behauptungen, dass Non-fungible Token (NFTs) und Decentralized Finance (DeFi) die Umwelt zerstören, dank PoS nicht mehr haltbar. Zudem führt die Beseitigung von Umweltbedenken bei einer Investition in ETH dazu, dass insbesondere Großanleger, die beispielsweise ESG-Mandate einhalten müssen, erneut bedenkenlos in Ether investieren dürfen.
Mit Proof of Stake erhält Ethereum daher eine Art ESG-Gütesiegel, sodass neuem Kapital von Großanlegern Tür und Tor geöffnet sind.
2. Profitabilität von Ethereum Staking steigt
Durch “The Merge” werden Transaktionsgebühren nicht mehr von Minern und ihrer Hardware, sondern von Proof-of-Stake-Validatoren bestätigt. Das hat zur Folge, dass jegliche Einnahmen, die Miner bislang erzielt haben, nicht mehr an sie, sondern an Ethereum Staker fließen.
Laut Coinbase verdoppelt sich die Profitabilität von ETH Staking dadurch von derzeit 4 Prozent auf 9 bis 12 Prozent. Die fundamentalen Auswirkungen dieser Veränderung sind recht simpel.
Bislang hatten Miner wiederkehrende Energiekosten, die sie für den Betrieb ihrer Hardware benötigten. Um diese Energiekosten zu decken, mussten sie ihre ETH-Mining-Belohnungen verkaufen. Durch PoS ist dieser Verkaufsdruck wesentlich geringer, da die Kosten für den Betrieb eines Ethereum-Validators minimal sind.
In einer Welt, in der es kaum noch Zinsen gibt, dürfte Ethereum durchaus für viele eine attraktive Alternative darstellen, die Anleger nicht länger ignorieren können. Aus diesen Gründen scheint es deshalb wahrscheinlich, dass die Nachfrage nach Ethereum nach dem erfolgreichen Wechsel zu PoS kontinuierlich steigt.
3. Niedrigere Inflation als Bitcoin
Ein weitere Auswirkung der Umstellung von Ethereum auf PoS ist die starke Reduzierung neu ausgeschütteter Ether. Ethereums Übergang zu PoS lässt nämlich nicht nur die Mining-Belohnungen für Miner verschwinden, sondern ermöglicht es dem Netzwerk, seine Inflationsrate aufgrund der Sicherheitseffizienz des neuen Konsensalgorithmus erheblich zu reduzieren.
Einfach ausgedrückt heißt das, dass das Ethereum-Netzwerk nicht annähernd so viel ETH ausgeben muss, um das Netzwerk mit PoS zu sichern.
Infolgedessen wirkt sich die Umstellung von PoW zu PoS auf die Inflationsrate von ETH ähnlich aus wie ein dreifaches Bitcoin Halving – die Inflationsrate von ETH sinkt um 90 Prozent.
Dieser Umstand, kombiniert mit profitablerem Staking und dem im Jahr 2021 eingeführten EIP-1559-Upgrade, führt dazu, dass Ethereum ein deflationärer Vermögenswert wird. Auf ultrasound.money lässt sich dieses Szenario bereits simulieren.
Durch das EIP-1559 werden derzeit pro Jahr Ether im Wert von rund 9,4 Milliarden US-Dollar (3,1 Mio ETH) aus der maximalen Umlaufmenge an Ethereum genommen. Durch den Wechsel zu PoS kommen noch weniger neue Ether auf den Markt. Insgesamt dürfte die PoS-Umstellung dazu führen, dass Ethereum ab dem dritten Quartal 2022 mit -2,1 Prozent deflationär ist.
Vermehre deine Kryptowährungen mit Staking
Nutzer von eToro können ganz einfach von ihrem Kryptobestand profitieren. Mit dem eigenen Staking-Service können Nutzer auf einfache, sichere und problemlose Weise ihren Bestand an Kryptowerten vergrößern.
We want to thank the writer of this write-up for this amazing web content
Größtes Upgrade der Krypto-Geschichte: Warum die Umstellung von Ethereum auf Proof-of-Stake bullish ist
Journal Reference:
- Thomas B. Plumb-Reyes, Nicholas Charles, L. Mahadevan. Combing a double helix. Soft Matter, 2022; 18 (14): 2767 DOI: 10.1039/D1SM01533H
L. Mahadevan, the Lola England de Valpine Professor of Applied Mathematics, of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, and of Physics, learned the mechanics of combing years ago while brushing his young daughter’s hair.
“I recall that detangling spray seemed to work sometimes, but I still had to be careful to comb gently, by starting from the free ends,” said Mahadevan. “But I was soon fired from the job as I was not very patient.”
While Mahadevan lost his role as hairdresser, he was still a scientist and the topology, geometry and mechanics of detangling posed interesting mathematical questions that are relevant to a range of applications including textile manufacturing and chemical processes such as polymer processing.
In a new paper, published in the journal Soft Matter, Mahadevan and co-authors Thomas Plumb Reyes and Nicholas Charles, explore the mathematics of combing and explain why the brushing technique used by so many is the most effective method to detangle a bundle of fibers.
To simplify the problem, the researchers simulated two helically entwined filaments, rather than a whole head of hair.
“Using this minimal model, we study the detangling of the double helix via a single stiff tine that moves along it, leaving two untangled filaments in its wake,” said Plumb-Reyes, a graduate student at SEAS. “We measured the forces and deformations associated with combing and then simulated it numerically.”
“Short strokes that start at the free end and move towards the clamped end remove tangles by creating a flow of a mathematical quantity called the ‘link density’ that characterizes the amount that hair strands that are braided with each other, consistent with simulations of the process” said Nicholas Charles, a graduate student at SEAS.
The researchers also identified the optimal minimum length for each stroke — any smaller and it would take forever to comb out all the tangles and any longer and it would be too painful.
The mathematical principles of brushing developed by Plumb-Reyes, Charles and Mahadevan were recently used by Professor Daniela Rus and her team at MIT to design algorithms for brushing hair by a robot.
Next, the team aims to study the mechanics of brushing curlier hair and how it responds to humidity and temperature, which may lead to a mathematical understanding of a fact every person with curly hair knows: never brush dry hair.
This research was supported by funds from the US National Science Foundation, and the Henri Seydoux Fund.
We wish to say thanks to the author of this short article for this outstanding web content
Tear-free hair brushing? All you need is math
Journal Reference:
- Thomas B. Plumb-Reyes, Nicholas Charles, L. Mahadevan. Combing a double helix. Soft Matter, 2022; 18 (14): 2767 DOI: 10.1039/D1SM01533H
L. Mahadevan, the Lola England de Valpine Professor of Applied Mathematics, of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, and of Physics, learned the mechanics of combing years ago while brushing his young daughter’s hair.
“I recall that detangling spray seemed to work sometimes, but I still had to be careful to comb gently, by starting from the free ends,” said Mahadevan. “But I was soon fired from the job as I was not very patient.”
While Mahadevan lost his role as hairdresser, he was still a scientist and the topology, geometry and mechanics of detangling posed interesting mathematical questions that are relevant to a range of applications including textile manufacturing and chemical processes such as polymer processing.
In a new paper, published in the journal Soft Matter, Mahadevan and co-authors Thomas Plumb Reyes and Nicholas Charles, explore the mathematics of combing and explain why the brushing technique used by so many is the most effective method to detangle a bundle of fibers.
To simplify the problem, the researchers simulated two helically entwined filaments, rather than a whole head of hair.
“Using this minimal model, we study the detangling of the double helix via a single stiff tine that moves along it, leaving two untangled filaments in its wake,” said Plumb-Reyes, a graduate student at SEAS. “We measured the forces and deformations associated with combing and then simulated it numerically.”
“Short strokes that start at the free end and move towards the clamped end remove tangles by creating a flow of a mathematical quantity called the ‘link density’ that characterizes the amount that hair strands that are braided with each other, consistent with simulations of the process” said Nicholas Charles, a graduate student at SEAS.
The researchers also identified the optimal minimum length for each stroke — any smaller and it would take forever to comb out all the tangles and any longer and it would be too painful.
The mathematical principles of brushing developed by Plumb-Reyes, Charles and Mahadevan were recently used by Professor Daniela Rus and her team at MIT to design algorithms for brushing hair by a robot.
Next, the team aims to study the mechanics of brushing curlier hair and how it responds to humidity and temperature, which may lead to a mathematical understanding of a fact every person with curly hair knows: never brush dry hair.
This research was supported by funds from the US National Science Foundation, and the Henri Seydoux Fund.
We wish to say thanks to the author of this short article for this outstanding web content
Tear-free hair brushing? All you need is math
We wish to say thanks to the author of this short article for this incredible content
Structural racism and pandemic stressors associated with postpartum depression and anxiety among Black people, study finds
We wish to say thanks to the author of this short article for this incredible content
Structural racism and pandemic stressors associated with postpartum depression and anxiety among Black people, study finds
Hechos clave:
-
UST es una stablecoin desarrollada por Luna Foundation, creadora de la red Terra.
-
Luna Foundation quiere tener más de USD 10 mil millones en bitcoin como reserva de para UST.
Luna Foundation, organización detrás del desarrollo de la red Terra y de la stablecoin Terra US (UST) compró, horas atrás, el equivalente a USD 100 millones en bitcoin (BTC). Así, alrededor de 2.500 BTC más pasan a formar parte de sus reservas.
El anuncio de la compra fue realizado por el fundador de Terra, el surcoreano Do Kwon. Como reportó CriptoNoticias recientemente, el objetivo de este empresario es que las reservas en BTC superen los USD 10.000 millones. Actualmente, según informa Luna Foundation, tienen reservas en BTC por alrededor de USD 1.739 millones.
Días atrás, en declaraciones a Unchained Podcast, Do Kwon afirmó que anhelan convertirse en el mayor poseedor de bitcoin, solo superado por las wallets atribuidas a Satoshi Nakamoto. También explicó el motivo de esto:
Nos expandimos hacia los ecosistemas de Solana, Avalanche, Ethereum, Polygon… planeamos estar en todas partes donde haya desarrolladores y usuarios. (…) Cuando deseamos expandirnos a estos ecosistemas, vemos que allí la confianza en el colateral Luna es mucho menor que la que hay dentro del ecosistema de Terra. Si [una stablecoin] tiene a bitcoin como garantía, entonces nadie la cuestiona porque es lo máximo
Do Kwon, CEO de Terraform Labs
Las reservas actuales de Luna Foundation no están solo en bitcoin, sino también —en menor medida— en otras criptomonedas: USD Coin (USDC), Tether (USDC) y terra (LUNA).
Terra US, una stablecoin algorítmica
Dicho todo esto, es necesario aclarar que bitcoin y las otras criptomonedas mencionadas son parte de la reserva de Luna Foundation, pero no se utilizan actualmente como colaterales para mantener el precio de UST (aunque podría dársele algún uso relacionado en el futuro).
Esta es una stablecoin algorímica, que mantiene la paridad en su precio con el dólar estadounidense mediante la emisión o quema de terra (LUNA), criptomoneda nativa de la red homónima.
El propósito de LUNA es absorber la volatilidad en UST. Por cada UST emitido, se debe quemar un dólar de LUNA (cuyo precio es volátil). De ese modo, LUNA mantiene la paridad de UST con el dólar estadounidense a través de un mecanismo de arbitraje y señoreaje.
Existen otras stablecoins que, a diferencia de UST sí están respaldadas por colaterales. Es el caso, por ejemplo, de DAI, cuya emisión depende de los contratos que bloquean saldo en distintos tokens de la red Ethereum.
También hay stablecoins, como es el caso de USDT o USDC que están respaldadas por dinero fíat en cuentas bancarias u otros activos financieros tradicionales como bonos.
We want to thank the writer of this short article for this remarkable content
Fundación emisora de UST avanza para ser el mayor poseedor de bitcoin del mundo
Hechos clave:
-
UST es una stablecoin desarrollada por Luna Foundation, creadora de la red Terra.
-
Luna Foundation quiere tener más de USD 10 mil millones en bitcoin como reserva de para UST.
Luna Foundation, organización detrás del desarrollo de la red Terra y de la stablecoin Terra US (UST) compró, horas atrás, el equivalente a USD 100 millones en bitcoin (BTC). Así, alrededor de 2.500 BTC más pasan a formar parte de sus reservas.
El anuncio de la compra fue realizado por el fundador de Terra, el surcoreano Do Kwon. Como reportó CriptoNoticias recientemente, el objetivo de este empresario es que las reservas en BTC superen los USD 10.000 millones. Actualmente, según informa Luna Foundation, tienen reservas en BTC por alrededor de USD 1.739 millones.
Días atrás, en declaraciones a Unchained Podcast, Do Kwon afirmó que anhelan convertirse en el mayor poseedor de bitcoin, solo superado por las wallets atribuidas a Satoshi Nakamoto. También explicó el motivo de esto:
Nos expandimos hacia los ecosistemas de Solana, Avalanche, Ethereum, Polygon… planeamos estar en todas partes donde haya desarrolladores y usuarios. (…) Cuando deseamos expandirnos a estos ecosistemas, vemos que allí la confianza en el colateral Luna es mucho menor que la que hay dentro del ecosistema de Terra. Si [una stablecoin] tiene a bitcoin como garantía, entonces nadie la cuestiona porque es lo máximo
Do Kwon, CEO de Terraform Labs
Las reservas actuales de Luna Foundation no están solo en bitcoin, sino también —en menor medida— en otras criptomonedas: USD Coin (USDC), Tether (USDC) y terra (LUNA).
Terra US, una stablecoin algorítmica
Dicho todo esto, es necesario aclarar que bitcoin y las otras criptomonedas mencionadas son parte de la reserva de Luna Foundation, pero no se utilizan actualmente como colaterales para mantener el precio de UST (aunque podría dársele algún uso relacionado en el futuro).
Esta es una stablecoin algorímica, que mantiene la paridad en su precio con el dólar estadounidense mediante la emisión o quema de terra (LUNA), criptomoneda nativa de la red homónima.
El propósito de LUNA es absorber la volatilidad en UST. Por cada UST emitido, se debe quemar un dólar de LUNA (cuyo precio es volátil). De ese modo, LUNA mantiene la paridad de UST con el dólar estadounidense a través de un mecanismo de arbitraje y señoreaje.
Existen otras stablecoins que, a diferencia de UST sí están respaldadas por colaterales. Es el caso, por ejemplo, de DAI, cuya emisión depende de los contratos que bloquean saldo en distintos tokens de la red Ethereum.
También hay stablecoins, como es el caso de USDT o USDC que están respaldadas por dinero fíat en cuentas bancarias u otros activos financieros tradicionales como bonos.
We want to thank the writer of this short article for this remarkable content
Fundación emisora de UST avanza para ser el mayor poseedor de bitcoin del mundo
Journal Reference:
- Sandra Martín-Peláez, Lluis Serra-Majem, Naomi Cano-Ibáñez, Miguel Ángel Martínez-González, Jordi Salas-Salvadó, Dolores Corella, Camille Lassale, Jose Alfredo Martínez, Ángel M. Alonso-Gómez, Julia Wärnberg, Jesús Vioque, Dora Romaguera, José López-Miranda, Ramón Estruch, Francisco J. Tinahones, José Lapetra, Fernando Fernández-Aranda, Aurora Bueno-Cavanillas, Josep A. Tur, Vicente Martín, Xavier Pintó, Miguel Delgado-Rodríguez, Pilar Matía, Josep Vidal, Clotilde Vázquez, Lidia Daimiel, Emili Ros, Estefanía Toledo, Stephanie K. Nishi, Jose V. Sorli, Mireia Malcampo, M. Ángeles Zulet, Anaí Moreno-Rodríguez, Raquel Cueto-Galán, Diego Vivancos-Aparicio, Antoni Colom, Antonio García-Ríos, Rosa Casas, M Rosa Bernal-López, Jose Manuel Santos-Lozano, Zenaida Vázquez, Carlos Gómez-Martínez, Carolina Ortega-Azorín, Jose Luís del Val, Itziar Abete, Amaia Goikoetxea-Bahon, Elena Pascual, Nerea Becerra-Tomás, Juan J. Chillarón, Almudena Sánchez-Villegas. Contribution of cardio-vascular risk factors to depressive status in the PREDIMED-PLUS Trial. A cross-sectional and a 2-year longitudinal study. PLOS ONE, 2022; 17 (4): e0265079 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0265079
Cardiovascular disease and depression are thought to be closely related due to similar risk factors, including inflammation and oxidative stress. Although it has been shown that depression could be a risk factor for developing cardiovascular disease, studies analyzing the potential impact of cardiovascular health on developing depression are scarce.
In the new study, the researchers used data from an ongoing 6-year multi-center randomized trial in Spain which analyzes the effect of a Mediterranean Diet on men aged 55-75 and women aged 60-75 with overweight or obesity. 6,545 individuals with no cardiovascular or endocrine disease at baseline were included in the current analysis. A cardiovascular risk score according to the Framingham-based REGICOR function was calculated for each person, dividing participants into low (LR), medium (MR), or high/very high (HR) cardiovascular risk groups. Depressive status was gauged using a questionnaire at baseline and after 2 years of follow-up.
At baseline, women in the HR group showed higher odds of depressive status than LR women (OR 1.78 95% CI 1.26-2.50). In addition, among all participants with baseline total cholesterol below 160 mg/mL, MR and HR individuals showed higher odds of depression than LR (MR: OR 1.77 95% CI 1.13-2.77; HR: OR 2.83 95% CI 1.25-6.42). On the contrary, among participants with total cholesterol of 280 mg/mL or higher, MR and HR individuals had a lower risk of depression than LR (MR: OR 0.26 95% CI 0.07-0.98; HR: OR 0.23 95% CI 0.05-0.95). After two years, during which time all individuals were instructed to follow a Mediterranean Diet as part of the trial, participants, on average, decreased their depressive status score, with the greatest decreases seen for MR and HR participants with high baseline cholesterol levels.
The authors conclude that high and very high cardiovascular risk are associated with depressive symptoms, especially in women, and that the role of other factors, such as adherence to the Mediterranean Diet, deserves further research.
The authors add: “High cardiovascular risk, especially in women, is associated with symptoms of depression in the elderly.”
We would love to give thanks to the author of this post for this outstanding web content
High cardiovascular risk is associated with symptoms of depression
Journal Reference:
- Sandra Martín-Peláez, Lluis Serra-Majem, Naomi Cano-Ibáñez, Miguel Ángel Martínez-González, Jordi Salas-Salvadó, Dolores Corella, Camille Lassale, Jose Alfredo Martínez, Ángel M. Alonso-Gómez, Julia Wärnberg, Jesús Vioque, Dora Romaguera, José López-Miranda, Ramón Estruch, Francisco J. Tinahones, José Lapetra, Fernando Fernández-Aranda, Aurora Bueno-Cavanillas, Josep A. Tur, Vicente Martín, Xavier Pintó, Miguel Delgado-Rodríguez, Pilar Matía, Josep Vidal, Clotilde Vázquez, Lidia Daimiel, Emili Ros, Estefanía Toledo, Stephanie K. Nishi, Jose V. Sorli, Mireia Malcampo, M. Ángeles Zulet, Anaí Moreno-Rodríguez, Raquel Cueto-Galán, Diego Vivancos-Aparicio, Antoni Colom, Antonio García-Ríos, Rosa Casas, M Rosa Bernal-López, Jose Manuel Santos-Lozano, Zenaida Vázquez, Carlos Gómez-Martínez, Carolina Ortega-Azorín, Jose Luís del Val, Itziar Abete, Amaia Goikoetxea-Bahon, Elena Pascual, Nerea Becerra-Tomás, Juan J. Chillarón, Almudena Sánchez-Villegas. Contribution of cardio-vascular risk factors to depressive status in the PREDIMED-PLUS Trial. A cross-sectional and a 2-year longitudinal study. PLOS ONE, 2022; 17 (4): e0265079 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0265079
Cardiovascular disease and depression are thought to be closely related due to similar risk factors, including inflammation and oxidative stress. Although it has been shown that depression could be a risk factor for developing cardiovascular disease, studies analyzing the potential impact of cardiovascular health on developing depression are scarce.
In the new study, the researchers used data from an ongoing 6-year multi-center randomized trial in Spain which analyzes the effect of a Mediterranean Diet on men aged 55-75 and women aged 60-75 with overweight or obesity. 6,545 individuals with no cardiovascular or endocrine disease at baseline were included in the current analysis. A cardiovascular risk score according to the Framingham-based REGICOR function was calculated for each person, dividing participants into low (LR), medium (MR), or high/very high (HR) cardiovascular risk groups. Depressive status was gauged using a questionnaire at baseline and after 2 years of follow-up.
At baseline, women in the HR group showed higher odds of depressive status than LR women (OR 1.78 95% CI 1.26-2.50). In addition, among all participants with baseline total cholesterol below 160 mg/mL, MR and HR individuals showed higher odds of depression than LR (MR: OR 1.77 95% CI 1.13-2.77; HR: OR 2.83 95% CI 1.25-6.42). On the contrary, among participants with total cholesterol of 280 mg/mL or higher, MR and HR individuals had a lower risk of depression than LR (MR: OR 0.26 95% CI 0.07-0.98; HR: OR 0.23 95% CI 0.05-0.95). After two years, during which time all individuals were instructed to follow a Mediterranean Diet as part of the trial, participants, on average, decreased their depressive status score, with the greatest decreases seen for MR and HR participants with high baseline cholesterol levels.
The authors conclude that high and very high cardiovascular risk are associated with depressive symptoms, especially in women, and that the role of other factors, such as adherence to the Mediterranean Diet, deserves further research.
The authors add: “High cardiovascular risk, especially in women, is associated with symptoms of depression in the elderly.”
We would love to give thanks to the author of this post for this outstanding web content
High cardiovascular risk is associated with symptoms of depression
Journal Reference:
- Helen M. Genova, Katie Lancaster, Zuzanna Myszko, Jimmy Morecraft, Jacqueline Leddy, Angela Smith, Nancy Chiaravalloti, Jean Lengenfelder. Emotional processing intervention (EMOPRINT): A blinded randomized control trial to treat facial affect recognition deficits in multiple sclerosis. Multiple Sclerosis and Related Disorders, 2022; 59: 103536 DOI: 10.1016/j.msard.2022.103536
The authors are Helen M. Genova, PhD, Katie Lancaster, PhD, Zuzanna Myszko, Jimmy Morecraft, Jacqueline Leddy, Angela Smith, MA, Nancy Chiaravalloti, PhD, and Jean Lengenfelder, PhD, of Kessler Foundation.
Researchers compared 21 individuals with MS with 15 placebo controls in this double-blinded, placebo-controlled, randomized clinical trial of EMOPRINT, a five-week, 12-session behavioral intervention for teaching facial recognition of the six universal emotions — happiness, sadness, fear, surprise, anger, and disgust. Participants underwent baseline and follow-up neuropsychological assessments of facial affect recognition, as well as assessments of quality of life and emotional functioning. At follow up, facial affect recognition skills significantly improved in the MS group compared with the placebo group.
The efficacy of EMOPRINT has important implications for individuals with MS, as well as for other populations that experience deficits of facial recognition, including autism, traumatic brain injury, and schizophrenia. Deficits in facial recognition, which are known to hinder social functioning, are often associated with mood disorders and reduced quality of life, according to lead author Dr. Genova, the Foundation’s associate director of the Center for Autism Research and an expert in the study of social cognition.
“Improving facial recognition may improve interpersonal relationships and lead to better outcomes at home and in the workplace,” she added. “The success of EMOPRINT in this MS study is an important first step toward the larger-scale, longer-term studies of social cognition we need to study these potential effects.”
Funding: National Multiple Sclerosis Society (RG-1507-05353)
We want to thank the author of this post for this awesome material
Behavioral treatment for deficits of facial affect recognition in multiple sclerosis
Journal Reference:
- Helen M. Genova, Katie Lancaster, Zuzanna Myszko, Jimmy Morecraft, Jacqueline Leddy, Angela Smith, Nancy Chiaravalloti, Jean Lengenfelder. Emotional processing intervention (EMOPRINT): A blinded randomized control trial to treat facial affect recognition deficits in multiple sclerosis. Multiple Sclerosis and Related Disorders, 2022; 59: 103536 DOI: 10.1016/j.msard.2022.103536
The authors are Helen M. Genova, PhD, Katie Lancaster, PhD, Zuzanna Myszko, Jimmy Morecraft, Jacqueline Leddy, Angela Smith, MA, Nancy Chiaravalloti, PhD, and Jean Lengenfelder, PhD, of Kessler Foundation.
Researchers compared 21 individuals with MS with 15 placebo controls in this double-blinded, placebo-controlled, randomized clinical trial of EMOPRINT, a five-week, 12-session behavioral intervention for teaching facial recognition of the six universal emotions — happiness, sadness, fear, surprise, anger, and disgust. Participants underwent baseline and follow-up neuropsychological assessments of facial affect recognition, as well as assessments of quality of life and emotional functioning. At follow up, facial affect recognition skills significantly improved in the MS group compared with the placebo group.
The efficacy of EMOPRINT has important implications for individuals with MS, as well as for other populations that experience deficits of facial recognition, including autism, traumatic brain injury, and schizophrenia. Deficits in facial recognition, which are known to hinder social functioning, are often associated with mood disorders and reduced quality of life, according to lead author Dr. Genova, the Foundation’s associate director of the Center for Autism Research and an expert in the study of social cognition.
“Improving facial recognition may improve interpersonal relationships and lead to better outcomes at home and in the workplace,” she added. “The success of EMOPRINT in this MS study is an important first step toward the larger-scale, longer-term studies of social cognition we need to study these potential effects.”
Funding: National Multiple Sclerosis Society (RG-1507-05353)
We want to thank the author of this post for this awesome material
Behavioral treatment for deficits of facial affect recognition in multiple sclerosis
Journal Reference:
- Jake McClements, Laure Bar, Pankaj Singla, Francesco Canfarotta, Alan Thomson, Joanna Czulak, Rhiannon E. Johnson, Robert D. Crapnell, Craig E. Banks, Brendan Payne, Shayan Seyedin, Patricia Losada-Pérez, Marloes Peeters. Molecularly Imprinted Polymer Nanoparticles Enable Rapid, Reliable, and Robust Point-of-Care Thermal Detection of SARS-CoV-2. ACS Sensors, 2022; DOI: 10.1021/acssensors.2c00100
The gold standard test for COVID-19 diagnosis remains the reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Although this test is highly sensitive and specific, it generally takes 1-2 days to get a result, is expensive and requires special lab equipment and trained personnel. In contrast, rapid antigen tests are fast (15-30 minutes), and people can take them at home with no training. However, they lack sensitivity, which sometimes results in false negatives. Also, the tests use antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 for detection, which can’t withstand wide ranges of temperature and pH. Marloes Peeters and Jake McClements at Newcastle University, Francesco Canfarotta at MIP Diagnostics, and colleagues wanted to make a low-cost, rapid, robust and highly sensitive COVID-19 test that uses molecularly imprinted polymer nanoparticles (nanoMIPs) instead of antibodies.
The researchers produced nanoMIPs against a small fragment, or peptide, of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein by creating molecular imprints, or molds, in the nanoparticles. These nanoscale binding cavities had a suitable size and shape to recognize and bind the imprinted peptide and, therefore, the entire protein. They attached the nanoparticles that bound most strongly to the peptide to printed electrodes. After showing that the nanoMIPs could bind SARS-CoV-2, they developed a 3D-printed prototype device that detects binding of the virus by measuring changes in temperature.
When the team added samples from seven patient nasopharyngeal swabs to the device, the liquid flowed over the electrode, and the researchers detected a change in temperature for samples that had previously tested positive for COVID-19 by RT-PCR. The test required only 15 minutes, and preliminary results indicated that it could detect a 6,000-times lower amount of SARS-CoV-2 than a commercial rapid antigen test. Unlike antibodies, the nanoMIPs withstood warm temperatures — which could give the test a longer shelf life in hot climates — and acidic pH — which might make it useful for monitoring SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater and saliva samples. However, to prove that the test has a lower false negative rate than existing rapid antigen tests, it must be tested on many more patient samples, the researchers say.
The authors acknowledge funding and support from Newcastle University, the Rosetrees Trust, the Wellcome Trust, MIP Diagnostics and the Fonds de la Recherche Scientifique.
We want to give thanks to the writer of this short article for this amazing material
Nanoparticles could enable a more sensitive and durable rapid COVID-19 test
Journal Reference:
- Jake McClements, Laure Bar, Pankaj Singla, Francesco Canfarotta, Alan Thomson, Joanna Czulak, Rhiannon E. Johnson, Robert D. Crapnell, Craig E. Banks, Brendan Payne, Shayan Seyedin, Patricia Losada-Pérez, Marloes Peeters. Molecularly Imprinted Polymer Nanoparticles Enable Rapid, Reliable, and Robust Point-of-Care Thermal Detection of SARS-CoV-2. ACS Sensors, 2022; DOI: 10.1021/acssensors.2c00100
The gold standard test for COVID-19 diagnosis remains the reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Although this test is highly sensitive and specific, it generally takes 1-2 days to get a result, is expensive and requires special lab equipment and trained personnel. In contrast, rapid antigen tests are fast (15-30 minutes), and people can take them at home with no training. However, they lack sensitivity, which sometimes results in false negatives. Also, the tests use antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 for detection, which can’t withstand wide ranges of temperature and pH. Marloes Peeters and Jake McClements at Newcastle University, Francesco Canfarotta at MIP Diagnostics, and colleagues wanted to make a low-cost, rapid, robust and highly sensitive COVID-19 test that uses molecularly imprinted polymer nanoparticles (nanoMIPs) instead of antibodies.
The researchers produced nanoMIPs against a small fragment, or peptide, of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein by creating molecular imprints, or molds, in the nanoparticles. These nanoscale binding cavities had a suitable size and shape to recognize and bind the imprinted peptide and, therefore, the entire protein. They attached the nanoparticles that bound most strongly to the peptide to printed electrodes. After showing that the nanoMIPs could bind SARS-CoV-2, they developed a 3D-printed prototype device that detects binding of the virus by measuring changes in temperature.
When the team added samples from seven patient nasopharyngeal swabs to the device, the liquid flowed over the electrode, and the researchers detected a change in temperature for samples that had previously tested positive for COVID-19 by RT-PCR. The test required only 15 minutes, and preliminary results indicated that it could detect a 6,000-times lower amount of SARS-CoV-2 than a commercial rapid antigen test. Unlike antibodies, the nanoMIPs withstood warm temperatures — which could give the test a longer shelf life in hot climates — and acidic pH — which might make it useful for monitoring SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater and saliva samples. However, to prove that the test has a lower false negative rate than existing rapid antigen tests, it must be tested on many more patient samples, the researchers say.
The authors acknowledge funding and support from Newcastle University, the Rosetrees Trust, the Wellcome Trust, MIP Diagnostics and the Fonds de la Recherche Scientifique.
We want to give thanks to the writer of this short article for this amazing material
Nanoparticles could enable a more sensitive and durable rapid COVID-19 test
Journal Reference:
- Emanuel Wyler, Julia M. Adler, Kathrin Eschke, G. Teixeira Alves, Stefan Peidli, Fabian Pott, Julia Kazmierski, Laura Michalick, Olivia Kershaw, Judith Bushe, Sandro Andreotti, Peter Pennitz, Azza Abdelgawad, Dylan Postmus, Christine Goffinet, Jakob Kreye, S Momsen Reincke, Harald Prüss, Nils Blüthgen, Achim D. Gruber, Wolfgang M. Kuebler, Martin Witzenrath, Markus Landthaler, Geraldine Nouailles, Jakob Trimpert. Key benefits of dexamethasone and antibody treatment in COVID-19 hamster models revealed by single-cell transcriptomics. Molecular Therapy, 2022; DOI: 10.1016/j.ymthe.2022.03.014
SARS-CoV-2 infections continue to result in hospitalizations. According to estimates by the Robert Koch Institute, the current COVID-19 hospitalization rate is approximately six to seven per 100,000 of the resident population. Hospitalized COVID-19 patients now have access to a range of drugs which can reduce the severity of the disease or, in the most severe cases, reduce the risk of death. Some of these drugs target the virus itself; others fight the inflammation associated with infection.
First-line treatments include monoclonal antibodies and dexamethasone, a drug with strong anti-inflammatory properties. Antibody treatments neutralize the virus by sticking to the surface of its spike protein, preventing it from entering human cells. This type of treatment is used within seven days after symptom onset. Hospitalized COVID-19 patients who require oxygen therapy usually receive dexamethasone, a glucocorticoid which, for approximately 60 years, has been used to treat inflammatory conditions caused by an overactive immune response. In COVID-19, too, the drug has been shown to reliably dampen the body’s inflammatory response. However, as the drug is associated with various side effects, including an increased risk of fungal infections, it should only be used in a specific and targeted manner.
Researchers from Charité, the MDC’s Berlin Institute of Medical Systems Biology (BIMSB) and FU Berlin have now studied the mechanisms of action of both types of treatment. “We uncovered evidence to suggest that combination therapy of antibodies and dexamethasone is more effective than either of these treatments alone,” says first author Dr. Emanuel Wyler, a researcher at the BIMSB’s ‘RNA Biology and Posttranscriptional Regulation’ research group, which is led Prof. Dr. Markus Landthaler. As not all lung compartments can be studied using lung tissue samples obtained from patients, the research group’s first step last year was to search for a suitable model. That task fell to co-last author Dr. Jakob Trimpert, a veterinarian and research group leader at the FU Berlin’s Institute of Virology, who subsequently developed COVID-19 hamster models. As animals which both contract the same virus variants as humans and develop similar disease symptoms, hamsters have proven the most important non-transgenic model for the study of COVID-19. Symptoms and progression, however, vary between different species of hamster. While symptoms usually remain moderate in Syrian hamsters, for example, Roborovski hamsters will develop severe disease reminiscent of that seen in COVID-19 patients requiring intensive care.
“In the current study, we tested the effects of single and combined antiviral and anti-inflammatory therapies for COVID-19, meaning we used the existing models with monoclonal antibodies, dexamethasone, or a combination of the two,” explains Dr. Trimpert. The FU Berlin’s veterinary pathologists then examined infected lung tissue under a microscope to establish the extent of lung tissue damage. Dr. Trimpert and his team also determined the quantities of infectious virus and viral RNA present in the tissues at various time points. This enabled the researchers to check whether and how viral activity might change over the course of treatment. “Thanks to a detailed analysis of various COVID-19 parameters, which is only possible in an animal model, we were able to improve our understanding of the basic mechanisms of action of two important COVID-19 drugs. Moreover, we found clear evidence of the potential benefits associated with a combination therapy of monoclonal antibodies and dexamethasone,” says Dr. Trimpert.
Using single-cell analyses, the researchers demonstrated the drugs’ effects on the complex interplay of various cellular signaling pathways and the number of immune cells present. Individual cells obtained from a particular sample were loaded onto a chip, where they were first barcoded and then encapsulated into minute droplets of aqueous fluid. Once prepared, the single cells underwent RNA sequencing, a process used to establish the sequence of genetic building blocks which a cell has just read. Thanks to barcoding, this RNA is later identifiable as originating from a particular cell, enabling the researchers to determine cellular function at the single-cell level with a high degree of accuracy. “We were able to observe that the antibodies are effective at reducing the amount of virus present,” explains Dr. Wyler. He adds: “This was not much use in our model, though.” This is because it is not the virus that damages the lung tissue, but the strong inflammatory response triggered by the virus. The immune cells fighting the invading pathogens release messenger substances to call in reinforcements. When these defensive forces arrive in large numbers, the lungs can become clogged. “Obstructed blood vessels and unstable vessel walls can subsequently result in acute lung failure,” explains Dr. Wyler.
A surprise came in the shape of the well-known drug dexamethasone. “This anti-inflammatory exerts a particularly strong effect on a specific kind of immune cell known as neutrophils,” says the study’s co-last author Dr. Geraldine Nouailles, Research Group Leader at Charité’s Department of Infectious Diseases and Respiratory Medicine. Neutrophils are a type of white blood cell responsible for mounting a prompt response to viral and bacterial infections. “The corticosteroid preparation suppresses the immune system and prevents the neutrophils from producing messenger substances which would attract other immune cells,” explains Dr. Nouailles. She continues: “This makes the drug extremely effective at preventing an escalation of the immune response.”
The best treatment outcomes were achieved when the researchers administered a combination of antiviral and anti-inflammatory treatments. “This type of combination therapy is not included in existing clinical guidelines,” emphasizes Dr. Nouailles. “What is more, current guidance stipulates that, in high-risk patients, antibody therapy can only be given in the first seven days following symptom onset. In clinical practice, dexamethasone is only used once a patient requires oxygen therapy, i.e., at an extremely advanced stage of the disease. Its use in combination, however, opens entirely new treatment time windows.” This new approach must now be evaluated in clinical trials before it can be adopted in clinical practice.
We would love to say thanks to the author of this post for this outstanding material
COVID-19 remedy: Better in combination than alone
Journal Reference:
- Emanuel Wyler, Julia M. Adler, Kathrin Eschke, G. Teixeira Alves, Stefan Peidli, Fabian Pott, Julia Kazmierski, Laura Michalick, Olivia Kershaw, Judith Bushe, Sandro Andreotti, Peter Pennitz, Azza Abdelgawad, Dylan Postmus, Christine Goffinet, Jakob Kreye, S Momsen Reincke, Harald Prüss, Nils Blüthgen, Achim D. Gruber, Wolfgang M. Kuebler, Martin Witzenrath, Markus Landthaler, Geraldine Nouailles, Jakob Trimpert. Key benefits of dexamethasone and antibody treatment in COVID-19 hamster models revealed by single-cell transcriptomics. Molecular Therapy, 2022; DOI: 10.1016/j.ymthe.2022.03.014
SARS-CoV-2 infections continue to result in hospitalizations. According to estimates by the Robert Koch Institute, the current COVID-19 hospitalization rate is approximately six to seven per 100,000 of the resident population. Hospitalized COVID-19 patients now have access to a range of drugs which can reduce the severity of the disease or, in the most severe cases, reduce the risk of death. Some of these drugs target the virus itself; others fight the inflammation associated with infection.
First-line treatments include monoclonal antibodies and dexamethasone, a drug with strong anti-inflammatory properties. Antibody treatments neutralize the virus by sticking to the surface of its spike protein, preventing it from entering human cells. This type of treatment is used within seven days after symptom onset. Hospitalized COVID-19 patients who require oxygen therapy usually receive dexamethasone, a glucocorticoid which, for approximately 60 years, has been used to treat inflammatory conditions caused by an overactive immune response. In COVID-19, too, the drug has been shown to reliably dampen the body’s inflammatory response. However, as the drug is associated with various side effects, including an increased risk of fungal infections, it should only be used in a specific and targeted manner.
Researchers from Charité, the MDC’s Berlin Institute of Medical Systems Biology (BIMSB) and FU Berlin have now studied the mechanisms of action of both types of treatment. “We uncovered evidence to suggest that combination therapy of antibodies and dexamethasone is more effective than either of these treatments alone,” says first author Dr. Emanuel Wyler, a researcher at the BIMSB’s ‘RNA Biology and Posttranscriptional Regulation’ research group, which is led Prof. Dr. Markus Landthaler. As not all lung compartments can be studied using lung tissue samples obtained from patients, the research group’s first step last year was to search for a suitable model. That task fell to co-last author Dr. Jakob Trimpert, a veterinarian and research group leader at the FU Berlin’s Institute of Virology, who subsequently developed COVID-19 hamster models. As animals which both contract the same virus variants as humans and develop similar disease symptoms, hamsters have proven the most important non-transgenic model for the study of COVID-19. Symptoms and progression, however, vary between different species of hamster. While symptoms usually remain moderate in Syrian hamsters, for example, Roborovski hamsters will develop severe disease reminiscent of that seen in COVID-19 patients requiring intensive care.
“In the current study, we tested the effects of single and combined antiviral and anti-inflammatory therapies for COVID-19, meaning we used the existing models with monoclonal antibodies, dexamethasone, or a combination of the two,” explains Dr. Trimpert. The FU Berlin’s veterinary pathologists then examined infected lung tissue under a microscope to establish the extent of lung tissue damage. Dr. Trimpert and his team also determined the quantities of infectious virus and viral RNA present in the tissues at various time points. This enabled the researchers to check whether and how viral activity might change over the course of treatment. “Thanks to a detailed analysis of various COVID-19 parameters, which is only possible in an animal model, we were able to improve our understanding of the basic mechanisms of action of two important COVID-19 drugs. Moreover, we found clear evidence of the potential benefits associated with a combination therapy of monoclonal antibodies and dexamethasone,” says Dr. Trimpert.
Using single-cell analyses, the researchers demonstrated the drugs’ effects on the complex interplay of various cellular signaling pathways and the number of immune cells present. Individual cells obtained from a particular sample were loaded onto a chip, where they were first barcoded and then encapsulated into minute droplets of aqueous fluid. Once prepared, the single cells underwent RNA sequencing, a process used to establish the sequence of genetic building blocks which a cell has just read. Thanks to barcoding, this RNA is later identifiable as originating from a particular cell, enabling the researchers to determine cellular function at the single-cell level with a high degree of accuracy. “We were able to observe that the antibodies are effective at reducing the amount of virus present,” explains Dr. Wyler. He adds: “This was not much use in our model, though.” This is because it is not the virus that damages the lung tissue, but the strong inflammatory response triggered by the virus. The immune cells fighting the invading pathogens release messenger substances to call in reinforcements. When these defensive forces arrive in large numbers, the lungs can become clogged. “Obstructed blood vessels and unstable vessel walls can subsequently result in acute lung failure,” explains Dr. Wyler.
A surprise came in the shape of the well-known drug dexamethasone. “This anti-inflammatory exerts a particularly strong effect on a specific kind of immune cell known as neutrophils,” says the study’s co-last author Dr. Geraldine Nouailles, Research Group Leader at Charité’s Department of Infectious Diseases and Respiratory Medicine. Neutrophils are a type of white blood cell responsible for mounting a prompt response to viral and bacterial infections. “The corticosteroid preparation suppresses the immune system and prevents the neutrophils from producing messenger substances which would attract other immune cells,” explains Dr. Nouailles. She continues: “This makes the drug extremely effective at preventing an escalation of the immune response.”
The best treatment outcomes were achieved when the researchers administered a combination of antiviral and anti-inflammatory treatments. “This type of combination therapy is not included in existing clinical guidelines,” emphasizes Dr. Nouailles. “What is more, current guidance stipulates that, in high-risk patients, antibody therapy can only be given in the first seven days following symptom onset. In clinical practice, dexamethasone is only used once a patient requires oxygen therapy, i.e., at an extremely advanced stage of the disease. Its use in combination, however, opens entirely new treatment time windows.” This new approach must now be evaluated in clinical trials before it can be adopted in clinical practice.
We would love to say thanks to the author of this post for this outstanding material
COVID-19 remedy: Better in combination than alone
Virgil Griffith, un antiguo desarrollador de Ethereum, ha sido condenado a 63 meses de prisión y pagará una multa de 100,000 dólares por asistir a una conferencia y ayudar a Corea del Norte a utilizar la tecnología blockchain contraviniendo las sanciones económicas impuestas por Estados Unidos.
El martes, el juez de distrito estadounidense Kevin Castel, del Distrito Sur de Nueva York, dictó la sentencia. El juez Castel declaró que “lo que se ve aquí es la intencionalidad, una intención deliberada y voluntaria de violar el régimen de sanciones”, y añadió que el delito se agravó porque Griffith tenía un “deseo de educar a la gente sobre cómo evadir las sanciones”.
En septiembre de 2021, Griffith se declaró culpable de conspiración para violar la Ley de Poderes Económicos de Emergencia Internacional, una ley que prohíbe a los ciudadanos estadounidenses exportar cualquier “bien, servicio o tecnología a la RPDC (República Popular Democrática de Corea, o Corea del Norte) sin una licencia del Departamento del Tesoro, Oficina de Control de Activos Extranjeros (OFAC, por sus siglas en inglés)”.
A principios de 2019, Griffith no logró obtener el permiso de las autoridades estadounidenses para viajar a Corea del Norte. Pero, en abril, fue de todos modos y visitó la capital de Pyongyang para la Blockchain and Cryptocurrency Conference.
En la conferencia, hizo presentaciones vestido con un traje norcoreano sobre cómo el país podría utilizar las criptomonedas para evadir las sanciones y blanquear dinero. También presentó métodos sobre cómo los contratos inteligentes podrían utilizarse para beneficiar al país en las negociaciones sobre armas nucleares con Estados Unidos.
En un intento de rebajar su condena, el equipo de defensa de Griffith aportó pruebas de los factores que podrían haberle hecho actuar de forma irracional. Presentaron una evaluación psicológica de Griffith que mostraba que sufría tanto un trastorno obsesivo-compulsivo de la personalidad (OCPD, por sus siglas en inglés) como un trastorno narcisista de la personalidad (NPD, por sus siglas en inglés).
Su equipo de defensa dijo que el diagnóstico de OCPD y NPD explicaba la “obsesión” que Griffiths tenía por Corea del Norte y es potencialmente lo que le hizo despreciar las advertencias de sus amigos, su familia y el gobierno sobre los viajes no autorizados al país.
En la audiencia, Griffith tuvo la oportunidad de hablar, declarando que estaba arrepentido de sus acciones, añadiendo que las sanciones a Rusia debido a la invasión de Ucrania habían “demostrado su valor” y que se había “curado” de su “obsesión por Corea del Norte”.
El tribunal no pareció convencido de que Griffith estuviera arrepentido, y el juez Castel dijo que:
“El hecho es que Virgil Griffith esperaba volver a casa como un héroe de las criptomonedas, para ser admirado y alabado por enfrentarse a las sanciones del gobierno, por su intrepidez y nobleza”.
Griffith fue detenido en noviembre de 2019 por el FBI, unos meses después de su regreso de la conferencia. Tuvo varias reuniones con el Buró en relación con su viaje antes de su detención, e incluso les proporcionó fotografías suyas haciendo presentaciones en la conferencia.
Corea del Norte se ha vuelto cada vez más sofisticada en el uso de las criptomonedas, tanto para evadir las sanciones como para utilizar hackeos y exploits para robar millones de dólares.
En enero, un informe de Chainalysis reveló que casi 400 millones de dólares fueron robados por hackers norcoreanos en 2021 a través de ransomware y hackeos de exchanges, empleando un meticuloso sistema de lavado que involucra swaps de exchanges descentralizados y múltiples tumblers de criptomonedas.
Aclaración: La información y/u opiniones emitidas en este artículo no representan necesariamente los puntos de vista o la línea editorial de Cointelegraph. La información aquí expuesta no debe ser tomada como consejo financiero o recomendación de inversión. Toda inversión y movimiento comercial implican riesgos y es responsabilidad de cada persona hacer su debida investigación antes de tomar una decisión de inversión.
Sigue leyendo:
Las inversiones en criptoactivos no están reguladas. Es posible que no sean apropiados para inversores minoristas y que se pierda el monto total invertido. Los servicios o productos ofrecidos no están dirigidos ni son accesibles a inversores en España.
We want to thank the author of this post for this amazing content
Un desarrollador de Ethereum obsesionado con Corea del Norte es condenado a 5 años por romper las sanciones
Virgil Griffith, un antiguo desarrollador de Ethereum, ha sido condenado a 63 meses de prisión y pagará una multa de 100,000 dólares por asistir a una conferencia y ayudar a Corea del Norte a utilizar la tecnología blockchain contraviniendo las sanciones económicas impuestas por Estados Unidos.
El martes, el juez de distrito estadounidense Kevin Castel, del Distrito Sur de Nueva York, dictó la sentencia. El juez Castel declaró que “lo que se ve aquí es la intencionalidad, una intención deliberada y voluntaria de violar el régimen de sanciones”, y añadió que el delito se agravó porque Griffith tenía un “deseo de educar a la gente sobre cómo evadir las sanciones”.
En septiembre de 2021, Griffith se declaró culpable de conspiración para violar la Ley de Poderes Económicos de Emergencia Internacional, una ley que prohíbe a los ciudadanos estadounidenses exportar cualquier “bien, servicio o tecnología a la RPDC (República Popular Democrática de Corea, o Corea del Norte) sin una licencia del Departamento del Tesoro, Oficina de Control de Activos Extranjeros (OFAC, por sus siglas en inglés)”.
A principios de 2019, Griffith no logró obtener el permiso de las autoridades estadounidenses para viajar a Corea del Norte. Pero, en abril, fue de todos modos y visitó la capital de Pyongyang para la Blockchain and Cryptocurrency Conference.
En la conferencia, hizo presentaciones vestido con un traje norcoreano sobre cómo el país podría utilizar las criptomonedas para evadir las sanciones y blanquear dinero. También presentó métodos sobre cómo los contratos inteligentes podrían utilizarse para beneficiar al país en las negociaciones sobre armas nucleares con Estados Unidos.
En un intento de rebajar su condena, el equipo de defensa de Griffith aportó pruebas de los factores que podrían haberle hecho actuar de forma irracional. Presentaron una evaluación psicológica de Griffith que mostraba que sufría tanto un trastorno obsesivo-compulsivo de la personalidad (OCPD, por sus siglas en inglés) como un trastorno narcisista de la personalidad (NPD, por sus siglas en inglés).
Su equipo de defensa dijo que el diagnóstico de OCPD y NPD explicaba la “obsesión” que Griffiths tenía por Corea del Norte y es potencialmente lo que le hizo despreciar las advertencias de sus amigos, su familia y el gobierno sobre los viajes no autorizados al país.
En la audiencia, Griffith tuvo la oportunidad de hablar, declarando que estaba arrepentido de sus acciones, añadiendo que las sanciones a Rusia debido a la invasión de Ucrania habían “demostrado su valor” y que se había “curado” de su “obsesión por Corea del Norte”.
El tribunal no pareció convencido de que Griffith estuviera arrepentido, y el juez Castel dijo que:
“El hecho es que Virgil Griffith esperaba volver a casa como un héroe de las criptomonedas, para ser admirado y alabado por enfrentarse a las sanciones del gobierno, por su intrepidez y nobleza”.
Griffith fue detenido en noviembre de 2019 por el FBI, unos meses después de su regreso de la conferencia. Tuvo varias reuniones con el Buró en relación con su viaje antes de su detención, e incluso les proporcionó fotografías suyas haciendo presentaciones en la conferencia.
Corea del Norte se ha vuelto cada vez más sofisticada en el uso de las criptomonedas, tanto para evadir las sanciones como para utilizar hackeos y exploits para robar millones de dólares.
En enero, un informe de Chainalysis reveló que casi 400 millones de dólares fueron robados por hackers norcoreanos en 2021 a través de ransomware y hackeos de exchanges, empleando un meticuloso sistema de lavado que involucra swaps de exchanges descentralizados y múltiples tumblers de criptomonedas.
Aclaración: La información y/u opiniones emitidas en este artículo no representan necesariamente los puntos de vista o la línea editorial de Cointelegraph. La información aquí expuesta no debe ser tomada como consejo financiero o recomendación de inversión. Toda inversión y movimiento comercial implican riesgos y es responsabilidad de cada persona hacer su debida investigación antes de tomar una decisión de inversión.
Sigue leyendo:
Las inversiones en criptoactivos no están reguladas. Es posible que no sean apropiados para inversores minoristas y que se pierda el monto total invertido. Los servicios o productos ofrecidos no están dirigidos ni son accesibles a inversores en España.
We want to thank the author of this post for this amazing content
Un desarrollador de Ethereum obsesionado con Corea del Norte es condenado a 5 años por romper las sanciones
Journal Reference:
- Jonghyun Hwang, Jonghyun Ha, Ryan Siu, Yun Seong Kim, Sameh Tawfick. Swelling, softening, and elastocapillary adhesion of cooked pasta. Physics of Fluids, 2022; 34 (4): 042105 DOI: 10.1063/5.0083696
In Physics of Fluids, by AIP Publishing, researchers from the United States examined how pasta swells, softens, and becomes sticky as it takes up water. They combined measurements of pasta parameters, such as expansion, bending rigidity, and water content to solve a variety of equations to form a theoretical model for the swelling dynamics of starch materials.
Author Sameh Tawfick, from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, said exploring the properties of noodles was a straightforward pivot from the lab’s main work of studying the fluid structure interaction of very flexible and deformable fibers, hairs, and elastic structures.
“Over the last few years, we joked about how pasta noodle adhesion is very related to our work,” he said. “We then realized that specifically, the mechanical texture of noodles changes as function of cooking, and our analysis can demonstrate a relation between adhesion, mechanical texture, and doneness.”
When the pandemic hit, the idea gained traction, and students and postdocs started working on it at home and in the lab.
The team observed how the noodles come together when lifted from a plate by a fork. This provided them with a grounding of how water-driven hygroscopic swelling affects pasta’s texture.
As pasta cooked, the relative rate of the noodle’s increase in girth exceeded the rate of lengthening by a ratio of 3.5 to 1 until it reached the firm texture of al dente, before becoming uniformly soft and overcooked.
As pasta is pulled from liquid, the liquid surface energy creates a meniscus that sticks noodles to one another, balancing the elastic resistance from bending the noodles and aided by adhesion energy from the surface tension of the liquid.
The degree to which a noodle was cooked was directly related to the length of the portion that adhered to its neighbors.
“What surprised us the most is that the addition of salt to the boiling water completely changes the cooking time,” Tawfick said. “So, depending on how much salt is added to the boiling water, the time to reach al dente can be very different.”
Tawfick hopes the group’s work inspires others to find simple methods for studying soft materials and looks to investigate the role of salt in swelling.
We would love to thank the author of this article for this amazing content
Physics models better define what makes pasta al dente
Journal Reference:
- Jonghyun Hwang, Jonghyun Ha, Ryan Siu, Yun Seong Kim, Sameh Tawfick. Swelling, softening, and elastocapillary adhesion of cooked pasta. Physics of Fluids, 2022; 34 (4): 042105 DOI: 10.1063/5.0083696
In Physics of Fluids, by AIP Publishing, researchers from the United States examined how pasta swells, softens, and becomes sticky as it takes up water. They combined measurements of pasta parameters, such as expansion, bending rigidity, and water content to solve a variety of equations to form a theoretical model for the swelling dynamics of starch materials.
Author Sameh Tawfick, from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, said exploring the properties of noodles was a straightforward pivot from the lab’s main work of studying the fluid structure interaction of very flexible and deformable fibers, hairs, and elastic structures.
“Over the last few years, we joked about how pasta noodle adhesion is very related to our work,” he said. “We then realized that specifically, the mechanical texture of noodles changes as function of cooking, and our analysis can demonstrate a relation between adhesion, mechanical texture, and doneness.”
When the pandemic hit, the idea gained traction, and students and postdocs started working on it at home and in the lab.
The team observed how the noodles come together when lifted from a plate by a fork. This provided them with a grounding of how water-driven hygroscopic swelling affects pasta’s texture.
As pasta cooked, the relative rate of the noodle’s increase in girth exceeded the rate of lengthening by a ratio of 3.5 to 1 until it reached the firm texture of al dente, before becoming uniformly soft and overcooked.
As pasta is pulled from liquid, the liquid surface energy creates a meniscus that sticks noodles to one another, balancing the elastic resistance from bending the noodles and aided by adhesion energy from the surface tension of the liquid.
The degree to which a noodle was cooked was directly related to the length of the portion that adhered to its neighbors.
“What surprised us the most is that the addition of salt to the boiling water completely changes the cooking time,” Tawfick said. “So, depending on how much salt is added to the boiling water, the time to reach al dente can be very different.”
Tawfick hopes the group’s work inspires others to find simple methods for studying soft materials and looks to investigate the role of salt in swelling.
We would love to thank the author of this article for this amazing content
Physics models better define what makes pasta al dente